Jill’s boys had fun with a few photos before returning this beautiful and docile moth to its resting spot. Wild Cherry Sphinx Moths are on the wing from mid-May to early August and are usually uncommon to rare. They can be distinguished from other sphinx moths in our area by the contrasting whitish gray and dark brown forewing. The larvae, as you may have guessed, mostly feed on leaves of cherries (Prunus spp.), as well as apples, peaches, and plums. Adults sip nectar from deep-throated flowers. This species is widely distributed across North America and found from coast to coast, except in the deep south and the extreme Southwest (northern limit extends from the mouth of the St. Lawrence Seaway to southern British Columbia).
Size: 3 1/4 – 4 5/16 inches (8.2 – 11 cm)
Photos by: Jill Carter on 6/3/22 in Victor, MT
